The final counter tack and the maxi catamaran Orange II will reach the end of the Southern Ocean runway for a landing at Cape Horn before midnight this Friday evening.

The wind has swung right round to the West and is not providing the giant multihull the best angle of attack given that the boat performs less well in downwind conditions: 'We can't complain' smiles Bruno PEYRON (FRA) as he watches the speedometer hover between 23 and ...33 knots! 'We're extending the course just a little by making some big moves to change the tack of the boat with the wind on the aft quarter.'

Orange II is again on the point of adding a few extra lines to her 'record' collection. Steeped in history the famous Horn will be rounded as tightly as possible; 'It's a legendary place and everyone aboard hopes to benefit from the fabulous sight of the snow-capped peaks of the Andes mountain range.'

After 32 days at sea, the boat is lighter and currently reaching its full potential. Orange II will soon hang a left to begin its climb back up the Atlantic. The Horn is not a success in itself and the coming days have their share of surprises and difficulties for a boat and her crew who have sacrificed a great deal for performance as PEYRON well knows: 'In the Southern Ocean, you don't get miles for nothing. They are paid for in pain and fatigue.'

'We're going to leave the Pacific with a good 'score' being the key towards our exploits. Our downwind tack has slowed us down a little but I'm not at odds about sparing the boat a little in this way. The passage of the Horn is always a high point. Everyone aboard wants to make the most of it. A bit of light would be most welcome as we haven't seen the sun throughout the whole of our Pacific crossing. The Horn evokes a lot of memories. In 1993, we experienced it at it's worst, 80 to 85 knots of wind and 17 metre waves. It can be a very nasty place. We all know that there is still everything to play for after the Horn. Four to five difficult days lay in store for us before we rediscover the more 'civilized' countries. We will be slowed on the approach to Brazil and we'll make the most of that time to give the boat a good going over.'

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Melbourne, Australia will host the final Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification regatta in 2015. With just under one year until the event, the 2015 IFDS Worlds was launched at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne kick starts the journey to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with qualification spots and top ranking points available in the Australian city.

Shawn Bennett (USA) won the Long Beach Stop of the 2015 California Dreamin' Series Sunday in this International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 3 match racing regatta hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club and raced on the Long Beach Sailing Foundation's fleet of Catalina 37s.

After the limits of the southern oceans imposed by the combination of the weather systems and the safety barrier of the Antarctic Exclusion Zone, the Atlantic is opening up for the top trio of the Barcelona World Race.